The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-25


Nature seems to have provided certain
animals peculiarly adapted to the hyper
borean region, and eminently fitted TO afford
sJIstenance to the race no have to withstand
the oxigencies and severe climatic changes
of am Arctic zone. The principal animals
Inhabitiny the waters of northwestern Alaska
are the various members of the seal family.
During the winter the seals, rising on the sur
face, strike against the thin young ice and
make hole. Through these holes they
crawl upon the smooth surface and lie sleep
ing 1T the brink. In the early spring the
first glimpse of sun induces them to forsake
their watery homes. and to basz i'll the warm
rays seems TO afford great pleasure to these
amphibious creatures When lying i'll these
positions the hunter crawls upon all fours in
as stealthy manner as possible
When, after gale, the ice is broken up
into small leads a net made of stout seal
hide is stretched across the chasm, and the
seals rising to blow become entangled in the
mesheS. Within the last decade breech load
ing firearms have been used by the Mutes
in hunting, but previous to their introduc-
ton spears made with copper or iron heads
were used the frame for carrying the spear
being carved from walrus ivory. To the
end of the spear a long coil of seal line is at
tached, to which at intervals bladders of the
natives hunt the animal which affords them
not only food but also oil for their lamps
and hides for their clothing When the icy
wind sweeps over the frozen expanse of sea,
carrying with it small pellicles of SHOW that,
striking the face, cut the skin like a charge
of shot: when fog and snow mist envelop
the landscape, Mute hunter has to possess
grit and nerve to face conditions that no
white man has ever yet done.
SUMMER SPORTS.
In the summer, when the ocean in again
free from the grasp of the iceberg, seals dis
port themselves at the mouth of every
stream and rivulet in order to catch fish or
seadeas. Then the kyack is called into
QUESTION. In this frail construction of skin
and wood the hunter, launched upon the
waves, paddles quietly and gently upon the
seal until within range. Naturally very
iuquisitivo animal, an imitation of the Groom
ing noise peculiar to the phOcR is sufficient
To make a seal swim on the top of the water
with its head protruding, thereby insuring a
good object to aim at Whistling is also re-
sorted 10 in attracting the seal to the surface.
The variety of seal known as the smooth
black hair is highly priced by the natives
throughout the territory of Alaska north of
the Aleutiau islands. Its large hide forms
the covering for boats and canoes, and also
serves as boot soles entirely impervious to
water. Saddle backs are rarely seen to the
north of Point Hope These are very hand
some and conspicuous animals they lie
basking in the sun upon the ice. Their
color i deep chocolate brown, with broad
band of white, shaI ed like a saddle, which
extends from the hack around the belly,
and from this peculiar marking they derive
their name.
Forty years ago immense herds of the
bulky walrus might be seen disporting III
the waters of the Behring and Arctic seas.
Owing to the prices which their ivory tusks
were valued at hunting of these pinnipeds be-
came source of profit To the whalers. As
consequence of indiscriminate slaughter
their numbers have been sensibly reduced,
and except around Bristol bay mud flats and
upon WaIrus island of the Pribyloff group
but few walrus are now seen in the Alaskan
seas.
There is perhaps no animal III nature that
appears so clumsy and 50 ill adapted To loco
motion this enormous brute. Upon land
they are utterly helpless. When striving o
effect landing upon an ice foe rocks
they use their fore flippers to hold on by and
wait for the assistance of each wave to hoist
them up to the desired spot. In hunting the
walrus the rifle is used by the natives, but it
would be safe to say that within the past few
years not more than a hundred have been
killed between st. Lawrence island and Point
Barrow, owing to their shy nature. While
valrus ivory has so deprecated iii value that
it does not pay to bring it to this port, de-
mand has sprung up for the hides which
have been found to make the finest and most
durable leather for betting purposes. The
Use of the tusks that form the appendages to
the walrus' head is to enable the animal to
dig for CLAIMS and other shell fish and also
the bulb roots Of sea weeds that are to be
TAl n "a his nf he
streams and creeks that flow into the Arctic
WHALE AND BEAR.
Schools of white whale-beluga, or gram
pus-are the first of the cetacean family
that appear along the Alaskan shores when
the ice begins TO break up. Their cleaning
white color is sensibly visible they grace
fully clave the dark green waters of the sea
Following the ice pack as it drifts to north
and west, these grampus seem to be the fore
runners OF their gigantic brothers, the bow
head whale balJna, in their passage to the
northern waters. In hunting these white
whales the natives on KOtzebue sound dis
play great ingenuity. fleet of kyacks
spread into a semicircle incloses the school,
gradually driving the affrighted fish into shall
low water. until. being unable to escape by
reason Of grounding upon the beach they fall
easy victims to the spear or harpoons of
their hunters On the coast to the north
OF the sound the rifle again serves as a
weapon to kill the beluga. White whale
blubber resembles limburger cheese in taste,
while the flesh, if of calf, is tender and palat-
able. The fins when boiled and covered
with vinegar are "a excellent substitute for
pigs feet.
Ursus Americans or the white polar bear
Is also food suppIier for the Mutcs. The
extent of bruin'- travels in the Arctic region
are far and wide. Observations by Capt
Htaly. of tAe United States revenue marine
prove the fact that the polar bears southern
limit Of range - st. Mathew islaud-,60 de-
Erees, - minutes north latitude in the Beh-
ring SEA. l believe that a few of these bears
were seen some years ago near the Seal
islands Probably the season WAS u late one,
AMI they We're seen upon u large ice foe
drifting. IT 81 Mathews the polar bears
have lairs and t.cns among the rocky glens